Femtosecond Laser Modification of Laser Gain Media and other Optical Materials for Integrated Photonics Applications

Modifying the index of refraction within the bulk of laser gain media allows for a wide array of micron-scale optical tools, such as waveguides. Here, parametric studies of nonlinear laser modification are made on key optical materials such as Sapphire, BK7, and YAG to guide modification parameters and learn more about bulk material change under high intensity nonlinear absorption. This study covers materials of varying dopant level and material properties, as well as amorphous, single crystal, and ceramic materials. Finally, multiple geometries of embedded waveguides are written and their performance is compared.